Nearly four years ago, protests against the World Trade Organization helped
derail a new round of trade talks. Today
Cancún, Mexico for a new summit
their international allies are preparing for another set of street
demonstrations against the so-called “free trade” agenda. Global civil
society and the WTO are once again poised for a spectacular confrontation.

Since the “Battle in Seattle” there has been much confusion about the
motives of those opposed to WTO policies. Reporters routinely refer to
demonstrators as “anti-globalization” protesters. But “anti-corporate” would
be much more accurate.

When WTO negotiators say they want to liberalize trade in services, public
interest groups hear the agenda of multinational corporations seeking to
privatize healthcare and education. When WTO negotiators say it’s necessary
to protect investment, civil society organizations glimpse a plan to allow
corporations to sue national governments for any regulations that may impact
profits, dramatically undercutting the powers of elected officials. And when
WTO negotiators resist any attempts to address labor or environmental
concerns, advocacy groups see a powerful international organization that
puts profit making above any other competing value.

Most WTO critics aren’t afraid of globalization. They’re afraid of
corporations manipulating the happy language of trade to advance a
deregulatory scheme that will destroy any remaining corporate accountability
laws.

A range of spokespeople are available to discuss the specific policy
concerns behind the growing WTO opposition, the makeup of the WTO
opposition, and the street marches in Cancún: